Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev arrived in Pakistan on Thursday for a two-day official visit.
He was received by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari in Islamabad.
A post on the President Secretariat’s X account said: “A warm welcome to President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan! President Asif Ali Zardari and PM Shehbaz received the Uzbek president at Noor Khan Airbase today. This visit marks a significant step in strengthening bilateral ties and regional connectivity.”
According to state-run APP, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and Special Assistant to the PM on Industry and Production Haroon Akhtar were also present at the Nur Khan Airbase to welcome the Uzbek president.
Mirziyoyev was welcomed with a 21-gun salute, the APP report said.
It added that a smartly turned out contingent of the Pakistan armed forces presented a static salute to the visiting dignitary, and the tri-services band also delivered a performance.
The Foreign Office (FO) earlier said that the Uzbek president was undertaking the official visit to Pakistan at the invitation of PM Shehbaz.
In its statement, the FO said that the President Mirziyoyev would lead a high-level delegation comprising cabinet ministers and business leaders.
It said that the visiting dignitary would meet President Zardari, hold delegation-level talks with PM Shehbaz, and address the Pakistan-Uzbekistan Business Forum.
The FO added that this was the Uzbek president’s second visit to Pakistan,
